Abstract: A multimedia hold system is provided. The system is comprised of a first mobile device and a second mobile device operable to communicate with the first mobile device. The system also includes a component such that when the users of the first and second mobile device are communicating and the user of the first mobile device places the communication on hold, the component promotes providing to the second mobile device multimedia designated by the user of the first mobile device.

Abstract: A method and system for previewing a multimedia conference are disclosed. As one example, the method comprises the steps of recording a conference preview message, storing the conference preview message, assigning an address to the conference preview message, selecting a plurality of invitees for the multimedia conference, preparing an invitation message, the invitation message including the address, sending the invitation message to the plurality of invitees, at least one invitee of the plurality of invitees retrieving the conference preview message using the address, and displaying the conference preview message for the at least one invitee.

Abstract: This invention relates to products and processes for making extreme-pressure additives (water-dispersible and oil-based) using starting compounds based on nitro moieties derived from C2-C30 unsaturated fatty acids; C2-C30 unsaturated natural fatty oils or triglycerides; synthetic esters derived from the reaction of C1-C20 alcohols with unsaturated C2-C30 fatty acids; polyglycol esters of unsaturated fatty acids; C2-C20 terminal or internal olefins; C2-C20 polyolefins; C4-C20 polydiolefins; C8-C20 copolymers derived from polyolefins and vinyl aromatics; and C4-C30 alkylated phenols, using nitric acid or gaseous nitrogen dioxide as nitrating agents, followed by chemical modifications involving the synthesis of alkanolamine salts or alkanolamides of nitrated fatty acids or ethoxylated nitrated fatty esters.

Abstract: This invention relates to processes for making nitro compounds derived from C2-C30 unsaturated fatty acids; C2-C30 unsaturated fatty oils; esters derived from the reaction of C1-C20 alcohols with unsaturated C2-C30 fatty acids; C2-C20 polyolefins; C4-C20 polydiolefins; C8-C20 copolymers derived from polyolefins and vinyl aromatics; and C4-C30 alkylated phenols using nitric acid or gaseous nitrogen dioxide. This class of extreme-pressure additives was found extremely effective in processing steel, stainless steel and special titanium and nickel or low-iron alloys.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and composition-of-matter for the preparation of dimeric and polymeric alkylphenol polysulfides based on paracumyl phenol for use in vulcanizable rubbers in which the additive is a dimeric or polymeric alkylphenol polysulfide non-nitrosamine-releasing additive based on paracumyl phenol.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for processing a model-to-model transformation. The method can include dynamically accepting a transformation to apply to a source model in order to produce a target model. More specifically, the method can include traversing a hierarchy for the source model and applying rules in the transformation to objects in the hierarchy to produce the target model. For instance, the traversing step can include sequentially processing a list of transform elements in the transformation. In one aspect of the invention, the processing step can include loading content extractors among the transform elements. Subsequently, other transform elements can be identified through the loaded content extractors in order to traverse the hierarchy.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for the model-to-model transformation by element-kind of a source model are proposed. An element-kind model-to-model transformation can include one or more transform elements defining a traversal of a source model, an element-kind mapping and the conversion from source models to target models. The element-kind mapping can include a set of associations between element-kinds for the source model and corresponding transformation rules to produce target objects in a target model.

Abstract: A non-iterative 3D processing method and system is disclosed for generic noise reduction. The 3D noise reducer is based on a simple conversion of the five types of noise to equivalent additive noise of varying statistics. The proposed technique comprises also an efficient temporal filtering technique which combines Minimization of Output Noise Variance (MNV) and Embedded Motion Estimation (EME). The proposed temporal filtering technique may be furthermore combined with classical motion estimation and motion compensation for more efficient noise reducer. The proposed technique comprises also a spatial noise reducer which combines Minimum Mean Squared Error (MMSE) with robust and effective shape adaptive windowing (SAW) is utilized for smoothing random noise in the whole image, particularly for edge regions. Another modification to MMSE is also introduced for handling banding effect for eventual excessive filtering in slowly varying regions.

Abstract: An efficient and non-iterative 3D post processing method and system is proposed for mosquito noise reduction, block localization and correction in DCT block-based decoded images. The 3D post processing is based on a simple classification that segments a picture in multiple regions such as Edge, Near Edge, Flat, Near Flat and Texture regions. The proposed technique comprises also an efficient and shape adaptive local power estimation for equivalent additive noise and provides simple noise power weighting for each above cited region. Temporal filtering configurations using Minimum Noise Variance Criterion are proposed for reducing temporally varying coding artifacts. A Minimum Mean Square Error or Minimum Mean Square Error-like noise reduction with robust and effective shape adaptive windowing is utilized for smoothing mosquito and/or random noise for the whole image, particularly for Edge regions.

Abstract: Methods and computer readable media are disclosed related to installing and distributing multiple software products. Computer code necessary to install multiple, related but distinct software products is stored on the storage media and includes at least some primary code that is necessary to all software products installable from a storage medium or set of media. Installation of a specific software product includes the installation of the primary code and at least some product-specific code. Installation is performed by an installer that identifies and installs the appropriate software product based on information, such as a product key, provided by the user. The installer may use a lookup table to identify the code to install and verify that the user is entitled to the software product.

Abstract: A method is provided for deriving a near-optimal fuzzy automaton for a given separation problem. The method includes the steps of: forming a first generation population (24) of fuzzy automata, where the first generation population of fuzzy automata includes a plurality of fuzzy automata; performing a mutation operation (28) on each fuzzy automaton in the first generation population of fuzzy automata; reproducing the first generation population of fuzzy automata using a survival of the fittest operation (30, 32, 34); and applying a cross-over operator (36) to the reproduced first generation population of fuzzy automata, thereby yielding a next-generation population of fuzzy automata. A near-optimal fuzzy automaton is identified by evaluating the performance (38) of each fuzzy automaton in the next-generation population; otherwise the methodology is repeated until a near-optimal fuzzy automaton is derived for the given separation problem.

Abstract: A method is provided for deriving a near-optimal fuzzy automaton for a given separation problem. The method includes the steps of: forming a first generation population (24) of fuzzy automata, where the first generation population of fuzzy automata includes a plurality of fuzzy automata; performing a mutation operation (28) on each fuzzy automaton in the first generation population of fuzzy automata; reproducing the first generation population of fuzzy automata using a survival of the fittest operation (30, 32, 34); and applying a cross-over operator (36) to the reproduced first generation population of fuzzy automata, thereby yielding a next-generation population of fuzzy automata. A near-optimal fuzzy automaton is identified by evaluating the performance (38) of each fuzzy automaton in the next-generation population; otherwise the methodology is repeated until a near-optimal fuzzy automaton is derived for the given separation problem.

Abstract: Liquid organic phosphites of low volatility, based on pentaerythritol, alkyl alcohols and alkyl phenols, which are essentially phenol-free are disclosed. These phosphites are excellent stabilizers for polymers, especially PVC resins. The phenol-free phosphite stabilizers are compatible with mixed metal stabilizers and give excellent color and processing stability.

Abstract: A fetal health assessor and outcome predictor and monitoring system includes a system for automatically assessing fetal health and predicting fetal outcomes based on fetal and maternal data. The system includes a case-based reasoning processor for categorizing the fetus into one of a plurality of cases based on biographical data about the fetus and mother. The system also includes a transducer for converting physical conditions of the fetus and mother (e.g. characteristics based on heart rates and uterine contractions) to signals representative of the conditions. A computer processor converts the signals to a set of signal features. An assessor and predictor receives the processed signal features and assesses fetal health and predicts fetal outcome based on identified fuzzy relationships between fetal and maternal data and fetal outcomes.

Abstract: A high temperature furnace formed from a stack of ceramic fiber--toroidal discs each fabricated to have an upper and lower groove for accommodating a heating coil so as to permit thermal elongation without buckling. The stacked array form a hollow cylindrical inner chamber which receives heat in the form of radiation through a window formed by removing a portion of the material between the groove and inner chamber.